Alyn and Deeside sits in the far north-eastern corner of Wales, looking out towards Chester and Merseyside, and its residents have shown little enthusiasm for the Welsh assembly. Its high No vote in the devolution referendum was followed by the lowest turnout, 32%, at the 1999 assembly poll. In common with other border areas of Wales, its Welsh-born population tends to be relatively low, at just under 50%. It has remained loyal to Labour since the seat was created 20 years ago. Barry Jones was the MP until 2001, when he was replaced by Mark Tami. Its Labour AM has been Tom Middlehurst, though he is now standing down. He was the assembly’s first secretary for post-16 education and training but resigned in October 2000 in protest at the coalition deal between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. The same year, former MP Barry Jones also criticised the assembly government in a row over the initial refusal of a £25m grant to BAE to help build wings for a new airbus at Broughton. The firm is one of the biggest local employers in this largely industrial seat following the decline of the Shotton Steelworks. The area was once home to four-times Victorian Prime Minister William Gladstone, who lived in one of Hawarden's two castles.